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Ras Al Khaimah: Petroleum PCL, the oil and gas exploration and production company, on Tuesday said it has begun production in the offshore West Bukha field in Oman's Block 8 in the Strait of Hormuz.

"Initial flow rates are 10,000 barrels of 42 degree API gravity oil and 30 million cubic feet per day of associated gas from two wells produced through a recently installed six-slot unmanned platform located in 90 metres of water, some 25 kilometres from the Musandam Peninsula," the company said in a statement.

West Bukha was discovered in 1976 but was believed to be a gas condensate field and abandoned as non-commercial. Drilling of appraisal wells between 2006 and 2008, including an extended horizontal section, by RAK Petroleum demonstrated significant oil productivity from the Mishriff-Maudud and Thamama reservoirs, leading to the development of the field.

"With the start-up of West Bukha, we are pleased to celebrate two significant milestones," said Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, chairman of RAK Petroleum's Board of Directors.

"This is the first offshore oilfield to come on stream in the Sultanate of Oman and it is also the first important producing project completed by our company."

Production is tied through a 12-inch multiphase flow line to the nearby Bukha production platform. The Bukha gas condensate field, also in Block 8, was developed in 1994 and today can flow an additional 10 to 15 million cubic feet per day of non-associated gas.

Output from the two fields is transported through a 16-inch, 33-kilometre multiphase flow line to shore for processing at the Khor Khwair plant in Ras Al Khaimah. Oil and condensate are slated for export while gas is delivered to industrial and commercial users in the emirate.

"While the internal field structure is complex, we believe that West Bukha has additional untapped potential which we will continue to appraise and exploit in close consultation with Oman's Ministry of Oil and Gas and our partners," noted Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani, RAK Petroleum's managing director and chairman of its Board of Directors Executive Committee.

He added that notwithstanding lower world oil prices, the company expects to recover its share of the approximate $250 million (Dh918 million) investment in West Bukha within 30 months of first production.

The company's subsidiary, RAK Petroleum Oman Limited, is Operator of Block 8 with a 40 per cent participating interest, with LG International Corporation of Korea holding a 50 per cent participating interest and UK-listed Heritage Oil Limited holding the remaining 10 per cent.

RAK Petroleum PCL is registered in Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone and is operator of eight other blocks located in Oman and the UAE, of which six are in the exploration phase and two are undergoing appraisal for possible redevelopment.

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